The present invention concerns an applicator device for loose substances, in particular a cosmetic substance.
Devices and arrangements for applying cosmetic substances such as a powder are known from the state of the art. Thus for example pressed cosmetic powders can be taken from a small cup by means of an applicator. Here brushes or foam or also sponge rubber applicators are used as the applicators. Powder pencils are also known, in which a lead formed from pressed cosmetic powder is enclosed by a sheath of material which can be sharpened to a point. However self-supporting powder leads, in housings from which they can be advanced for application purposes, are also state of the art, as can be seen from example from DE 20 2004 020 158 U1.
A further application format involves containers from which a loose cosmetic substance such as a loose eyeshadow can be removed for example by being sprinkled therefrom.
There are also cosmetic containers which are summarised by the term dip systems. In those systems the applicator is usually loaded by being dipped into the loose or powder cosmetic which is contained in the container. In that respect, adhesion of the cosmetic substance to the applicator, that is to say loading of the applicator, is inter alia dependent on the filling level of the container. In that respect it was found in particular that the loading of the applicator surface occurs irregularly with a decreasing filling level in the container.
It is also known that an excess of cosmetic to be applied, on the applicator element, is undesirable as the cosmetic can drop off after the applicator element is withdrawn from the cosmetic container, and can possibly soil articles of clothing. Success with makeup is also endangered by inaccurately metered and in particular excessive cosmetic material. It is particularly disagreeable if excess material of that kind, for example when applying eyeshadow, gets into the conjunctival sac of the eye where irritation can occur. In order to avoid overdosing, for example DE 20 2004 017 614 U1 proposes a container from which a loose cosmetic substance can be taken in portion-wise manner by means of an applicator which is fixed to a stem, wherein excess cosmetic is knocked off by an impulse which can be produced by an insert portion disposed in the applicator stem or a handle portion. That arrangement admittedly substantially obviates the above-mentioned disadvantages of overdosing, but adjustment of an optimum dosage amount of substance to be applied still remains unresolved.
To sum up therefore it can be established that there is still potential for improvement in regard to metering of an amount of a cosmetic substance which is intended to be applied, particularly in the case of a loose powder.
Therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an applicator device for loose substances, in particular a cosmetic substance in powder form, which makes it possible to load the applicator with an amount of the loose substance, which is defined for application, in particular independently of the amount of substance present in the applicator device.